Account, payments & subscriptions

[christa70]

I ordered a Roku device as a gift for my Aunt.  At first she thought she could add it to her TV, but then told me should could not.  I ordered it early on a Saturday and received a message that it would not ship until Monday.  Within a few hours, I did everything I could to cancel the order and was told it could not be canceled.  Then on Thursday (yes, Thursday), they shipped it to her and she received it today and now I being am told I have to pay for return shipping when I was initially told they would send me a label...hmmm...and for something I tried desperately to cancel?  Also, I keep trying to get an RMA and the system on this website is spinning me in circles and not generating anything.  I am calling my bank/credit card issuer tomorrow and asking to put the charge into dispute.  Happy to return with a pre-paid label.  I apologize that I tried to order something as a gift for an elderly relative and that I wanted to cancel.  I feel I gave reasonable notice to Roku to cancel the order (within a few hours...and 5 days went by before it was shipped), but  they refused to cancel it.  I am really annoyed.  I give these devices out as gifts to folks every year and NEVER AGAIN!  I own four devices personally and am switching to Amazon.  Roku has the worst customer service...and I was told they could not cancel the order and that I could ship it back for free and that was dishonest.  What a waste of time, energy, and money.  Do not buy directly from Roku--they make more money that way and they are making it hard, if not impossible, for people to cancel orders within a reasonable time, and to return unopened items.  It's awful!

[JWS9518]

Reach out to Roku customer service via chat or phone on the Roku customer support web page and hopefully they will make it right.  If not, you could always complain to the BBB.

[christa70]

I spoke with someone in Customer Service via chat.  He promised to send me a paid return label but instead, Roku sent me an email asking to rate his service and then another email stating I need to pay to return the item and that the issue is resolved.  It is not resolved.  Now I will contact my credit card issuer and put the charge into dispute.  Roku never should have shipped the device in the first place.  It's brand-new, unopened and I am happy to send it back but Roku needs to send a prepaid shipping label.  Roku has lost my loyalty and business over this.  No more subscriptions through Roku and no more purchasing these devices for others as gifts.  Moving on to Amazon, which I never wanted to do but their customer service is 1000 times better than Roku's.

[Strega2]

Yes, customer service from a retailer vs a manufacturer that also dabbles in retail is usually vastly different. I worked in manufacturing businesses most of my life, and I used to see this from the inside. Some managers wanted to cut out the middle man (retailers and distributors.) Others thought it was insane to compete with our own direct customers (retailers and distributors!) So we ended up doing some retailing, but poorly enough that the real retailers wouldn't think we were harming them. With lots of variability as managers moved to new positions and the debate shifted.

[christa70]

What you write makes perfect sense and I appreciate that you shared your inside perspective on the manufacturing side.  I also know (owning a small business myself) that manufacturers make more $ when they sell their products directly to consumers vs. wholesaling to retailers--but you are correct that they have to walk a fine line and not compete with their retail accounts.

[JWS9518]

I usually find that asking for a supervisor usually helps resolve the issue, especially if the customer service rep is trying to do something against their return policy.  I think it is the problem with customer service today in general that they tend to farm out the work to a third-party call center who only act via a script.  It is not just Roku, but all of them.  I had a warranty return with WD and it took 2 months for them to send me a replacement because they were out of stock with the memory card I had returned to them, and they offered to upgrade it but took weeks to jump the hoops.  So, I understand your frustration. 

[christa70]

You are 100% right that everything is farmed out and scripted.  I am sorry to hear you had an issue with WD (I assume Western Digital).  I hope that has been fully resolved for you.  In my lifetime, I've watched customer service completely fall by the wayside and it's a shame.  I like win-win situations where a company makes a great product, treats customers well, and customers are happy.  

[JWS9518]

Yes, the service in customer service is pretty much gone in today's retail world.   Or in the case of some name brands, they churn out products, such as a dehumidifier, that they know will barely last past its one-year warranty due to the thousands of complaints they have received or been posted about it, but they continue to sell the product regardless without regard to product quality or durability.

[christa70]

You are right about that.  What upsets me is that companies knowingly manufacture products with a short effective useful life (or "planned obsolescence") which harms consumers and the planet. Most of those companies also claim to care about climate change.  We have an accountability problem in this country.  Because these entities are never held accountable they have no reason to change their unethical business practices.

[JWS9518]

Yes, planned obsolescence is also a problem with modern electronics and appliances.